Series Of Wrecks Shuts Down I-64

Pileup Included More Than 20 Vehicles In 6 Separate Accidents

April 09, 2000|By MIKE HOLTZCLAW Daily Press

NEWPORT NEWS — A series of chain-reaction accidents involving more than 20 vehicles shut down the westbound lane on Interstate 64 for two hours Saturday morning and left traffic backed up for almost 10 miles.

Many of the vehicles involved in the wreck were driven by college students headed to a promotional event at the King's Dominion amusement park near Richmond. At least a half-dozen people were treated in hospital emergency rooms, though none of the injuries was life-threatening.

State police spokeswoman Tammy Van Dame said the pileup included six separate accidents between Victory and Denbigh boulevards, the biggest of which involved 10 vehicles. The first accident occurred at 10:30 a.m. That stretch of I-64 was eventually closed and did not reopen until 12:45 p.m.

"It appeared that most of the accidents were caused by erratic driving, excessive speed and following too closely," Van Dame said. "A lot of the drivers involved were summoned for following too closely."

Because of the number of cars headed to the amusement park, Van Dame said, some of the accidents involved friends and acquaintances from local universities. At various points along the highway, groups of students collected alongside the wreckage to chat while waiting for the road to be cleared.

The emergency room at Mary Immaculate Hospital treated four accident victims, and Riverside Medical Center's emergency room treated two. Spokeswomen at the two hospitals declined to give details, other than to say that all victims were in stable condition and were expected to be discharged on Saturday.

Mike Holtzclaw can be reached at 928-6479 or by e-mail at mholtzclaw@dailypress.com